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Home My WebLink AboutItem 3b: Award a purchase order contract to Wondries Fleet Group for purchase of police vehiclesI�oeryo nN AW�J S� If�J Co�m40lty Of O STAFF REPORT Public Works Services Department DATE: September 4, 2012 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Tom Tait, Public Works Services Director Robert T. Guthrie, Chief of Police By: Dave McVey, General Services Superintendent SUBJECT: AWARD A PURCHASE ORDER TO WONDRIES FLEET GROUP FOR THE PURCHASE OF EIGHT FORD CROWN VICTORIA POLICE PURSUIT VEHICLES IN THE AMOUNT OF $222,529 AND AUTHORIZE AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION OF $158,229 FROM THE EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FUND Recommendation: Approve SUMMARY The Fiscal Year 2012 -13 Equipment Acquisition Plan includes a vehicle replacement budget for the replacement of three Dodge Charger police pursuit vehicles (PPV) that have high mileage and meet the City's Vehicle Replacement criteria. Due to re- occurring engine problems, high repair costs, and an unreliable track record of Dodge Charger PPV, the Arcadia Police Department and the Public Works Services Department are recommending that the City discontinue purchasing Dodge Chargers. In the interim, it is recommended that the City purchase Ford Crown Victoria PPV while the dependability of the new Chevy Caprice PPV is evaluated. The pre - purchase of five additional Ford Crown Victoria PPV for this Fiscal Year will replace cars that have high mileage and are scheduled to be replaced in Fiscal Year 2013 -14. Purchasing a total of eight 2011 Ford Crown Victoria PPV at this time will save the City approximately $60,000 over the two Fiscal Years. Funds in the amount of $128,300 have been budgeted for vehicle acquisition, emergency lighting, and telecommunication equipment in this year's Equipment Acquisition Plan Budget. It is recommended that the City Council award a purchase order to Wondries Fleet Group for the purchase of eight Ford Crown Victoria police pursuit vehicles in the amount of $222,529, and authorize an additional appropriation of $158,229 from the Equipment Replacement Fund. Honorable Mayor and City Council September 4, 2012 Page 2 of 5 DISCUSSION In 2006, the City switched from Ford Crown Victoria PPV to Dodge Chargers. This year's Equipment Acquisition Plan has a vehicle replacement budget for three Dodge Charger PPV that have high mileage and meet the City's Vehicle Replacement criteria. There are five Dodge Charger PPV scheduled to be replaced in Fiscal Year 2013 -14 Equipment Acquisition Plan. Currently, some of these patrol cars meet the City's vehicle replacement criteria. Since 2006, there have been eight complete engine failures in Dodge Chargers. Most recently, a 2007 Dodge Charger had an engine failure. This unit is scheduled to be replaced in next year's Equipment Acquisition Plan. Conversely, there had been no complete engine failures in Ford Crown Victoria PPV since they were purchased. The Ford Crown Victoria PPV is considered a "tried and true" police interceptor. Unfortunately, the Ford Motor Company discontinued making the Crown Victoria PPV in 2011. As a replacement to the Crown Victoria PPV, Ford recently introduced the Taurus police interceptor. The Ford Taurus police interceptor is an all -wheel drive vehicle unlike the Crown Victoria PPV, which is a rear -wheel drive. It is the opinion of the Arcadia Police Department and the Public Works Services Department that gear- wheel drive vehicles handle and steer better than an all -wheel or front -wheel drive vehicles. Additionally, all -wheel or front -wheel drive vehicles are not as durable and they are more expensive to repair than a rear -wheel drive vehicle. The purpose for pre - purchasing the eight Ford Crown Victoria PPV is to allow the City time to evaluate the durability and performance of the Chevy Caprice PPV. The Chevy Caprice PPV is new to law enforcement in the United States; however, it is used extensively in other places, such as Australia. The Chevy Caprice PPV is a rear -wheel drive vehicle and is said to be the top choice of law enforcement to replace the Crown Victoria PPV. The Public Works Services Department has located Wondries Fleet Group (Wondries), a local car dealership that still has new 2011 Ford Crown Victoria PPV available at a very reasonable price. Currently, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (County Sheriff) has a purchase order with Wondries for the purchase of 2011 Ford Crown Victoria PPV. Wondries had offered the City the same pricing per unit as listed in the County Sherriff's purchase order. Utilizing this pricing opportunity will be advantageous to the City since it will allow for the purchase of these vehicles at a low and competitive price per unit. City staff recently talked to local law enforcement agencies about pre - purchasing Crown Victoria PPV while waiting to see how well the new police pursuit vehicles perform. Many of these agencies are pre - purchasing the Ford Crown Victoria PPV because they are proven and reliable. As a result of law enforcement agencies pre - purchasing 2011 Crown Victoria PPV, Wondries Fleet Group has told City staff that they will not have any on their lot by the end of the 2012 calendar year. City staff called car dealerships Honorable Mayor and City Council September 4, 2012 Page 3 of 5 around the state about the availability of new 2011 Crown Victoria PPV and confirmed that many law enforcement agencies are stocking up on them. As such, it would be prudent for the City to take advantage of this opportunity while there is new 2011 Crown Victoria PPV still available. The following are advantages for pre - purchasing the Ford Crown Victoria PPV: 1. It allows more time to evaluate the reliability of the Chevy Caprice PPV or another police pursuit vehicle. For the same reason, several cities and law enforcement agencies such as the California Highway Patrol, City of Long Beach, and City of El Monte are pre - purchasing Ford Crown Victoria PPV. 2. Pre - purchasing 2011 Crown Victoria PPV ensures that the City is getting a proven, reliable, and safe police pursuit vehicle. 3. The City will save approximately $60,000 in the Equipment Replacement Fund by pre - purchasing eight 2011 Ford Crown Victoria PPV this Fiscal Year rather than purchasing one of the four existing police pursuit vehicles. Description Amount* Total Vehicle Replacement Budget for eight PPV for Fiscal Years 2012 -13 and 2013 -14 $ 283,060 Total cost to pre - purchase eight PPV for Fiscal Year 2012 -13 through Wondries car dealership $ 222,529 Savings * Them ..14— C — av_ $ 60,531 u- 1W 1G Nu, L, JaOc Uj vvmw&s anw ana ao not include outfitting costs (communications, emergency, and fueling transmitter package) There are funds in the amount of $128,300 budgeted in Fiscal Year 2012 -13 Equipment Acquisition Plan for the replacement of three Dodge Charger PPV; however, the total cost to pre - purchase eight new 2011 Ford Crown Victoria PPV including additional outfitting costs is $286,529 (see table below). Therefore, an additional appropriation of $158,229 is needed to pre - purchase and outfit an additional five new 2011 Ford Crown Victoria PPV. Honorable Mayor and City Council September 4, 2012 Page 4 of 5 A. Fiscal Year 12 -13 Vehicle Replacement Budget (3 ..PPV) Amount Vehicles cost _ _ _ ! $104,300 Outfitting cost $24,000 Sub Total $128,3001 B. Pre - Purchase of Vehicles 8 PPV Vehicle purchase from Wondries car dealership $222,529 Outfitting cost $64,000 Sub Total ! $286,529 C. Additional Appropriation Re uest Fiscal Year 2012 -13 Budget 3 PPV + outfitting costs $128,300 Pre - Purchase of vehicles 8 PPV + outfitting costs $286,529 Additional cost needed to pre - purchase 8 vehicles for Fiscal Year 2012 -13 (difference of A - B) ! ($158,229) In summary, due to the ongoing failure and repair costs of the existing Dodge Charger PPV, and the limited availability of time to evaluate the Chevy Caprice PPV, it is recommended that the City Council approve the following: (1) award a purchase order contract to Wondries Fleet Group for the purchase of eight new 2011 Ford Crown Victoria police patrol vehicles in the amount of $222,529 and (2) authorize an additional appropriation of $158,229 from the Equipment Replacement Fund. FISCAL IMPACT Funds in the amount of $128,300 have been budgeted in the 2012 -13 Equipment Replacement Fund for the vehicle acquisition, emergency lighting, and telecommunication equipment installation for three police patrol vehicles in this year's Equipment Acquisition Plan. The total cost to pre - purchase eight new 2011 Ford Crown Victoria PPV, including outfitting cost, is $286,529. Therefore, an additional appropriation of $158,229 would be needed. The outfitting costs for the patrol vehicles include purchase of tire safety bands, push bars, fueling transmitter packages, and the installation of emergency and telecommunication equipment is $8,000 per unit. It is also important to note that the City will save approximately $60,000 in the Equipment Replacement Fund by pre - purchasing eight Ford Crown Victoria PPV this Fiscal Year rather than purchasing the more expensive Chevy Caprice PPV in Fiscal Years 2012 -13 and 2013 -14. Honorable Mayor and City Council September 4, 2012 Page 5 of 5 RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council approve the following: 1. Award a purchase order contract to Wondries Fleet Group for the purchase of eight 2011 Ford Crown Victoria patrol vehicle units in the amount of $222,529. 2. Authorize the City Council to approve an additional appropriation of $158,229 from the Equipment Replacement Fund. APPROVED: Dominic Lazza o City Manager